Married couples who file a joint tax return may be subject to a penalty if their combined tax liability is greater than what they would pay if they filed single. This “penalty” usually comes into play when both spouses contribute a large portion of the couple’s combined income.

Thanks to some legislation, the penalty has been reduced significantly. Married couples can now file jointly and claim a standard deduction which is 50% more than the deduction amount for single filers. Additionally, couples who file jointly have a 15% tax bracket, on amount, which is double the amount for single people.

If only one spouse is responsible for a large portion (or all) of the total income, it may benefit you to file jointly. You may be subjected to a singles penalty otherwise, as your joint return will equate a lower tax than the total of both spouse’s single filer tax liabilities.